Roads petition gains support

21 Mar 2014, midnight

MORE than 90 businesses and community groups have signed up to host the "Target: 10,000" petition and collect signatures for the campaign launched by two Greater Taree City councillors, deputy mayor Robyn Jenkins and Peter Epov.

MORE than 90 businesses and community groups have signed up to host the "Target: 10,000" petition and collect signatures for the campaign launched by two Greater Taree City councillors, deputy mayor Robyn Jenkins and Peter Epov.

The councillors, who have now been joined by a third councillor, Brad Christiansen, are endeavouring to collect 10,000 signatures in 21 days, calling for "better and safer roads and bridges for the Manning Valley".

"The campaign is an opportunity for people to be proactive in a constructive and reasonable way and yet express their opinions in a united and loud voice, to the politicians in Canberra and in Sydney," Cr Epov said.

"I am delighted at the community response that we are receiving. Petition hosts are reporting very positive community feedback as most people want and are demanding to see some constructive action on our pothole-ridden roads and our ageing and dilapidated bridges.

"Our target is 10,000 petition signatures in 21 days. We need the support of the entire community, to achieve this task and to demonstrate that we the community are very serious and united in our call for fair and reasonable funding for our roads and bridges.

Mr Epov said he was pleased that Greater Taree City Council has now agreed to allow petition collection boxes at all council libraries and at council's administration centre.

Cr Christiansen said he was glad to join Robyn and Peter to do whatever they can to get funding back for the area.

"All three of us are new to the job, but from what I've seen thus far we are all working in the one direction on council and trying to be proactive and move this great region forward to where it should be regarded on the coast, as a town that people want to visit and live.

"Our roads are a major issue and have been for a long time. We are in the process of addressing this but without major funding from Federal and State Governments, we will never upgrade and or even maintain our road network because it is such a massive area.

"For us to get our 10,000 signatures in 21 days will say to the bodies in Canberra that we as a community are fair dinkum about this issue."